News

Moscow Synod calls unification assembly in Kiev non-canonical, expresses concerns about plans to rename Ukrainian Orthodox Church

Moscow, December 29, Interfax - The Holy Synod that met in Moscow on Friday gave its evaluation to the unification assembly held in Kiev and the Ukrainian authorities' actions aimed at renaming the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church.

"The 'Unification Assembly' held in Kiev on December 15 composed of members of schismatic groups led by Metropolitan Emmanuel of Galle, a representative of the Constantinople Patriarchate, and Ukrainian President Pyotr Poroshenko was declared non-canonical," the Synod said in its decisions.

The hierarchs of the Russian church also expressed "deep concerns" about the entry into force of the amendments to the Ukrainian law On Freedom of Conscience and Religious Organizations.

The Moscow Synod decision calls these amendments discriminatory. It also states that secular politicians intend to seek deprivation of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of its canonical and lawful name based on the adopted law. Members of the Synod see "this legislative act as a glaring violation of the principle of non-interference of the state in the internal affairs of religious communities outlined in the Constitution of Ukraine."

The law contradicts the fundamental international documents on the protection of human rights and freedoms, the decision said.

The Synod has made a decision to call on the heads and Synods of the brotherly Orthodox Churches to support Metropolitan Onufry of Kiev and All Ukraine, the bishops, the clergy, and monastics and loyal flock of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church "in connection with the current trials," and also not to recognize "the community founded at the so-called Unification Assembly on December 15, 2018 in Kiev as an autocephalous local Orthodox church."

Print this page

Home

News

.	Customize latest news

• Extremism case opened against 5 members of Jehovah's Witnesses in Syktyvkar 04 March 2021, 13:15
• Putin orders Interior Ministry to prosecute provocateurs, suppress all manifestations of extremism 03 March 2021, 16:25
• Kremlin not commenting on end of discussion about monument on Lubyanskaya Square - Peskov 01 March 2021, 14:19
• Moscow Mayor Sobyanin proposes to leave Lubyanskaya Square as it is for now 26 February 2021, 22:42
• Acting leader of Abkhazian Diocese is member of Georgian Church - Georgian Patriarchate 26 February 2021, 17:44
• Search underway on premises of Sredneuralsky Convent 26 February 2021, 17:41
• Defrocked priest Sergy's pretrial detention extended until end of spring 26 February 2021, 10:00
• Armenian Apostolic Church urges politicians to start talks 25 February 2021, 15:04
• Omsk resident fined 375,000 rubles for excusing terror attack in New Zealand 25 February 2021, 11:48
• Yakutian shaman Gabyshev charged with violence against police officer 25 February 2021, 10:45
• Meeting between Russian patriarch, Pope doesn't improve Christians' position in Middle East contrary to expectations - Metropolitan Hilarion 24 February 2021, 10:00
• Muscovites will choose between monuments to Dzerzhinsky, Alexander Nevsky on Lubyanka Square 20 February 2021, 10:03
• Former schema-monk Sergy admits giving bribe amounting to 'millions of dollars' 18 February 2021, 16:30
• World Russian People's Council backs idea of Ivan III monument on Lubyanka Square in Moscow 18 February 2021, 16:11
• FJCR suggests reinstalling fountain at Lubyanka 18 February 2021, 15:30
• Suspected organizer of Jehovah's Witnesses cell in Russia's Kemerovo region placed under house arrest 17 February 2021, 14:11
• Police detain man who splashed Holocaust monument in Yerevan with paint 17 February 2021, 13:44
• The giant castle of corona cannibal to be burned in Russia on Maslenitsa 17 February 2021, 12:08
• Lawyers' association supports bill limiting surrogate motherhood in Russia 17 February 2021, 10:00
• FSB detain people suspected of financing ISIL under guise of donations to mosques in Crimea, Tatarstan 16 February 2021, 15:19
• World Union of Old Believers backs idea to place Ivan III monument on Moscow's Lubyanka Square 16 February 2021, 09:44
• Metropolitan Hilarion concerned by detention on non-participants in unsanctioned rallies 15 February 2021, 09:17
• Moscow court arrests 2 Jehovah's Witnesses 15 February 2021, 09:15
• Foreign Intelligence Service head compares those who insult WWII veterans to Nazi collaborators 12 February 2021, 11:53
• Congress of the Leaders of World and Traditional Religions in Kazakhstan postponed to next year 12 February 2021, 11:07
• Sputnik V vaccine halal - Gamaleya Center expert 12 February 2021, 10:03
• Court denies former schema hegumen Sergy right to participate in dispute over church on territory of Sredneuralsky Convent 10 February 2021, 20:39
• Several organizers of Jehovah's Witnesses cell detained in Moscow 10 February 2021, 11:43
• Resident of Russia's Dagestan jailed for 10 years for killing local rabbi 10 February 2021, 11:14
• Tajik authorities classify sentence of opposition Islamic party leader 09 February 2021, 17:35

Other news